Description: The Bent Pyramid is the most eye-catching of the four pyramids at Dahshur. It was built by the Pharaoh Senefru, the father of Cheops and founder of the 4th Dynasty. The bent pyramid in Dahshur is also known as the rhomboidal or false pyramid because at a point halfway up, the angle of inclination is reduced by a little over 10 degrees. The base of the pyramid is square with each side measuring about 620 feet. Its original height was 336 feet and it is interesting to note that its outer limestone casing has been preserved more than any other pyramid. Perhaps the most popular reason for why the pyramid is bent is that it needed to be finished quicker than was originally planned. Others have suggested that the interior would not have held or would have collapsed under the originally intended height. A subsidiary pyramid and mortuary temple can also be seen next to the pyramid, and are part of the pyramid complex. The bent pyramid is also commonly referred to as the north pyramid of Senefru. The south pyramid of Senefru is located about 2.5 km away from its partner and is extremely large in volume. In fact, it is only second to the Cheops pyramid in its size. |
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